[Senju Kazuto]

"Immortality." Kazuto mused, scratching his chin in deep thought. It wasn't really a question that had come to his mind. In all the hypothetical possibilities that he had thought, immortality in the physical sense of the word had never figured since it was something that seemed unobtainable and he had little interest about it. But the more he thought it, of the possibilities about having an eternal life with youth that never ended, it seemed lonely and boring to him. So when he truly thought of it, the answer came to him in an almost self evident way. "I'd seek a way to rid myself from that gift." Kazuto declared as he leaned forward, wondering if they would understand his point of view in the matter. Immortality at first seemed like a goal that was something that humanity had wanted. Unending time to do what you wished for, to see what you wished for, to learn, to appreciate, to see the world without the concerns of illness, time or hunger. A life spend seeking the hidden truths until the stars themselves would flicker out and the mortal flesh was extinguished and all would turn into a cold void. And then what? Roaming alone, as madness would consume you? "I know, it sounds strange, but hear me out. How can we appreciate life, how are we able to enjoy what we do, take pride, feel love when we do not have the finality of time and the frailty of life?" He said softly before taking a sip of his drink and eyes both the Yamanaka and the Nara before continuing. He wondered whether or not they would understand the full meaning of his words, deciding to continue in his line of thought. "Time and death are not something I usually think of, but, think about it. If you had eternity ad your disposal, if you had time to do as you wanted. Would it all have meaning? Would you feel the need to master a technique? Would you feel pride at it? Would you read a book with the same delight or pour your passion into a hobby with the same zeal? I fear if anyone took that path, their passions and desires would evaporate until we become unfeeling creatures bereft of everything but loneliness. That is unto itself, worse than death I think." He had been lengthy and thorough but he turned his sight to the blonde. "Do you want to tell us what would you do with your immortality, Inoyami?"

-tag- @inoyami Nara Shikajin -words- 433 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Deleted]

the less I see the sun the brighter I'll become

Well, Shikajin's answer wasn't exactly a shocker. More sleep. Of course. Inoyami could empathize with him, though. She lost plenty of sleep on the regular, too. Mostly from nightmares. Nightmares about the shared loss of their teammate, nightmares about her brother leaving her, nightmares about being useless when her help was needed the most. She still beat herself up almost nightly about how little she'd been able to do back then, how keeping up a strong front was her only real comfort to her remaining teammate after they'd lost Chozaro.

And as for Kazuto's answer...he would rather not have the ability of immortality at all. That seemed...just like him. To value the beauty in fragility over the potential in endlessness. Inoyami didn't agree that things would lose meaning, as he pointed out. They'd probably lose some degree of urgency, but...to each his own. She nodded softly, taking another drink. "I guess that makes some sense," she said. She could see his logic, even if she didn't totally agree with it.

The Senju directed the question back at her. What would she do with immortality? She'd considered it before, mostly as a daydream, maybe once or twice. But not seriously. The blonde was quiet for a little while, thinking it over. "I think I'd take a break from field work and end up committing the next thirty-or-so years to research into my clan's techniques, to find a way to help my brother. And, after old age took him, I would probably try to master fuuinjutsu. After that? Hmm..." She drummed her fingers against the table and then, when the thought struck her, smacked the top of the wood with sudden enthusiasm. "I'd tour the world to try every single recipe known to man." Oh, yeah. Perfect.

"Maybe my plan's a little boring, but I think enjoyment comes more from the small things in life. Not so much comparing the 'now' against the whole of our lifespans and determining a value by the difference." She shrugged. "But if you had endless nights, the extra sleep would be awesome, too." She heaved a sigh. "There really aren't enough hours in the day..."

No notes~! ❤ HEX:#28a805 ❤ Senju Kazuto , Nara Shikajin

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[Nara Shikajin]

the worst case scenario is you

Kazuto would wax and wane about how life would lose some of its luster if there wasn't an end to it, which Shikajin supposed made sense in that could anyone truly take the time to appreciate anything if they knew it would be there day after day for as long as they lived? Granted, that didn't apply to everything of course but for arguments sake it was fairly solid logic; and with all that said the Senju would spend his inexhaustible life trying to find a way to... exhaust it. Muddling the question with a quip or ridding oneself of the boon, which was the more distraught answer? Who knew, but given that two of the three shinobi sitting at the table weren't exactly the happy go lucky type Inoyami should have expected the answers, both in tone and length respectively.

The Nara was curious to hear what his teammate would do with immortality. Surely she wouldn't try to get rid of it like the Senju, right? Perhaps she'd try to grow the ultimate flower or put together the perfect bouquet. Alas the woman would take the admirable route and try to find a... remedy for her brother. The man had gone through a lot in his days as a shinobi and each mission and battle took a piece of him with it, and after enough time there wasn't a whole lot left, to put it bluntly. Though Shikajin's initial guess was a little off Inoyami wouldn't disappoint entirely and added that she would travel around and try all the foods! That was the Inoyami that the Nara had known for so many years. She would find a way to incorporate her likes and hobbies into just about any situation, and immortality was no different. He couldn't really blame the woman for wanting to master fuinjutsu, it was a tricky specialty to get a grasp on and if one was able to get any good at it then they'd probably not want to let those skills go to waste. Shikajin felt the same for his medical abilities and he was sure that Kazuto had similar feelings for his mokuton.

"That sounds like a lot, even when you have forever." Shikajin would reply agreeing that there truly wasn't enough time in the day, though if there was then that'd just be even longer that the Nara would stay awake middling through his day. Perhaps there were just the right amount of hours after all...

Senju Kazuto @inoyami @three | ### | whoop whoop

KRATOS

[Senju Kazuto]

He kept his silence as Inoyami explained what she would do with her limitless time. And although he hadn't considered any of his hobbies into the equation he supposed that all of that was valid. Yet he still held his belief that it was the finality of time that gave purpose to each action they took, each decision carried more weight and by definition the person would either saw from the seeds of triumph or be haunted by the errors of the past. It gave opportunity for anyone to redeem themselves or take a turn for the worse. He preferred it that way but decided to not argue more about the subject. Kazuto took a moment to look at their table. The plates of fillets and tempura and assorted vegetables, the steamed rice and broth, the tofu they had ordered and the drinks that had either soothed or burn their throats had almost banished. The grill now burned only what little remained of the all they had eaten. His own cup of tea was now empty. Hunger had abated as they had continued to eat whilst they talked and connected over what they were able to talk about, it had been rather nice, he admitted to himself. "I don't suppose either of you is still hungry." The Senju asked. He himself was full and everything had been more than excellent, he wanted to think that food had been better only because he had shared it with people he cared about. He could tell that he was fond of Inoyami's chirpy attitude and he found even the more sinister undertones, but he knew that beneath there lay a gleam of goodness. Simply put the meeting could have not gone any better even if they had tried. They simply had acted in a natural manner, acting as if they had been friends all these years. "Unless of course, Shikajin would like some dessert." He said nodding towards the Nara.

-tag- @inoyami Nara Shikajin -words- 339 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Deleted]

the less I see the sun the brighter I'll become

Still hungry? Inoyami knew the feeling well. She had eaten quite a bit, though. Could she eat more? She thought about it, looking between the other two at the table. She came to the conclusion that yes, she could--but it wouldn't be proper to keep eating when everyone else was wanting to finish up. She held her tongue.

Kazuto made a playful jab at her teammate, and she actually had to hide a smile, turning the other way for a moment. There had been some abrasion earlier but now there was joking. She wondered if that was going to be the trend between these two, a harmless back-and-forth whenever they were around one another. She hoped so. It was good for Shikajin, at least, to be at least involved rather than keeping to himself. She knew he struggled--a lot--and there was only so much that she, as one person, could do.

Oooh, but dessert. How could she pass that up? She hesitated again, looking over the table, then the rest of the eatery, then back to her friends. Finally, "Uhh you know what, I might take something to-go. For 'Yori." Okay, it was mostly for her. But if they had anything with strawberries, he'd be stealing some of it for sure.

She felt her energy simmering back on low. All the food was beginning to make its full weight known. A pleasant warmth had blanketed her body and she felt, just, content. Happy for the company and the food they'd shared. And the stories! Ohh she'd learned SO much.

No notes~! ❤ HEX:#28a805 ❤ Senju Kazuto , Nara Shikajin

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[Nara Shikajin]

the worst case scenario is you

The final remnants of their hypothetical immortal lives sizzled out leaving only time to contemplate their own --and their friends-- mindsets and ambitions should they choose. Each of their answers was starkly different yet didn't seem out of the ordinary for any of them. No overt or grand gestures like world domination or amassing riches but instead goals to make their lives a little better. Well, at least they were a moral trio if nothing else.

Eyes shifted at the inquiry from the Senju, Shikajin wanted so badly to glare but the sight of Inoyami quickly turning away caught his attention just long enough to prevent such a thing from happening. The one caveat for trying to hide a laugh or expression was to not move so quickly that you ended up drawing more attention to yourself; she'd pay for that one day. As for Kazuto... did the secret files he surely kept on everyone have the Nara's sweet tooth listed as top priority? The chunin was only half-serious but not many knew that he did, indeed, have a penchant for the sweeter things in life. Ironic considering his normally gloomy disposition but a good piece of chocolate or caramel drizzle just brightened his day.

The Yamanaka seemed to be contemplating over the idea herself which only meant that she was probably going to end up ordering something, and being the only one ordering something always felt a little awkward so Shikajin would have to get something, too. All the food and drink they had ordered definitely filled him up, but the trek home would help with digestion and surely free up a little room. Now the only question that remained was what would he order? Would anything on the menu even catch his eye? "Yeah... Yeah I could use something sweet, I wonder what kind of desserts they offer." He'd muse tapping his fingers against each other in anticipation. Dessert was arguably the best part of any meal as it allowed an opportunity to let loose a little and delve into various indulgences.

Senju Kazuto @inoyami @three | ### | whoop whoop

KRATOS

[Senju Kazuto]

He observed both, on how they acted to his suggestion. Partly out of the instinct of observe people that had been wired unto him by his training as a member of ANBU and partly because he wished to understand them more. He saw chirping and joyful Inoyami ponder about whether or not she should, speaking only with a decision came and the mention of her elder brother came, deciding to bring the man something after this meeting, surely gossiping with her sibling about what had transpired in the meeting of the three friends. Of that there was little surprise but he nonetheless made a note of it. It was Shikajin that actually surprised him. For a man that had seemingly fallen into the pits of sardonic humor and the tortured looks of someone that got little sleep, he found it amusing that he would be the first of the two to speak asking about desserts. If anything he had expected for the man just wishing to be done with it, but as ever, surprised were something not only to cherish but also to learn from. The Nara a box full of surprises of that he was sure. The waitress came back, leaving with them dessert menus to explore. Taking one in his hands he would look at what they offered. The standards of course, like green tea cookies, steamed cake, daifuku, dango to even some varieties that were cakes of chocolate, vanilla and a mixture of both. Iced treats like shaved ice and ice cream and a myriad more delicious treats for the sweet toothed. A part of him wondered what sort the two would choose, probably something more akin to their personalities something sweet for the Yamanaka for sure, but also something more bittersweet for the Nara, or simply, perhaps the opposite. He made his decisions fairly quick. "I think I'll have the dango with a refill of the green tea." Kazuto said, looking at the waitress, the woman waiting for the other two to give their selections.

-tag- @inoyami Nara Shikajin -words- 351 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Deleted]

the less I see the sun the brighter I'll become

Dessert. Like the finish line for a race, but way more satisfying when you got to it. Inoyami browsed the menu. She already knew that Shikajin would eye up something sugary and while she hadn't known about Kazuto's preferences, the choice he ended up voicing didn't surprise her at all.

Looking over what was listed, though, she had more trouble decided than she'd thought. Even though she wasn't exactly hungry, everything sounded amazing. Even the ice cream bowl "for two," which no sane person would attempt to eat solo if they'd downed how much Ino had during the course of their meal. The dumplings also sounded suuuuper good... There were various cookies, biscuits, sweet rolls, and...OH. YES. CAKE. Now she HAD to get something for herself, too. It'd be a waste not to!

The blonde's eyes lit up and she smiled as soon as she saw that particular area of the confections. It was carb hell but sweet sweet heaven and she was totally getting it. Turning to the server who was waiting on them, Inoyami would wait until Kazuto had spoken his pick before giving her own. "Two slices of strawberry cake, please. Oh, and can I get extra strawberries added to one? Separate containers, if you could." Then a smile.

Ooooooh, he was going to love it. And by extension, her. The only thing her brother seemed to thoroughly enjoy more than teasing her was the taste of strawberries. She'd always thought that maybe his favoritism toward them was linked to some memory he had when he'd been growing up, but every time she asked, he dodged the question. No matter, though. What mattered was that he liked the cake. Inoyami was definitely going to enjoy hers. Maybe for a midnight snack...but probably closer to ten minutes after getting back home.

No notes~! ❤ HEX:#28a805 ❤ Senju Kazuto , Nara Shikajin

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[Nara Shikajin]

the worst case scenario is you

Taking a gander at the dessert menu would reveal quite the selection, something for just about every palette. Sweet sweets, tart sweets, fruits, ice cream, cakes, it was all there. Shikajin was giddy with excitement though his outward demeanor wouldn't give him away. The Nara would only be half joking if he asked the waitress to bring him one of everything on the menu, and though the young man had just eaten a full meal he always had more than enough room for the sweet stuff, but what would he order?

Kazuto had paired dango with tea, fitting for him, and Inoyami went with strawberry cake. Sweet yet healthy. Apt choices for the both of them but lacking pizzazz. It was once again on the shoulders of the Nara to pick up the slack that his friends had left, a tough burden but one that he was willing to carry. "The taiyaki and mochi ice cream, please." Shikajin would speak to the waitress feeling content with his choices. He wanted something sweet and the ice cream filled mochi would offer just that, while the taiyaki would provide a crunchy, sweet, cookie treat that he felt paired well. If either of the two looked hard enough they may have possibly been able to notice a small smile coming from the chunin, but it would take a very keen eye to notice.

"Plans for the rest of the day?" He would ask needing to fill time until their desserts arrived. Inoyami would surely be going to spend time with her brother and spill all the details of her day, though perhaps she would surprise him. The Senju on the other hand was still a mystery. Perhaps he would speak with Miyo, or maybe become one with a ficus or something.

@one @two @three | ### | whoop whoop

KRATOS

[Senju Kazuto]

"Attend a clan meeting with the elders." Kazuto said as his words became tinged with desdain at the prospect of the gathering between himself in the capacity as clan leader and the elders that would drone endlessly in their advisory capacity about what he should do in regards of what direction should the clan take in regards of other clans within the village and how it should deal with assignments and missions that were given to members of the clan. It was a tedious and thankless job that no matter what he did or omitted from doing would find him at the end of well hidden mockery. Of course, at this point the Senju had grown to ignore and focused on doing things as he thought they would work best. "Although, I think I will be fashionably late for this meeting." The Senju had learned pretty quickly and pretty well to keep quiet as the clan elders talked, and he had also learned that irking them was the best way for them to stop bickering and get to the chase of what was in review today. At least that is how he had learned to deal with it. It had been a subtle learning but with that lore in his command, he understood well the hearts and minds of the elders and thus he had managed to cope with the weekly sessions. "Although, I want to say they wouldn't complain, I mean, what is this but strengthening the bonds of friendship between our clans?" He didn't wish to use them as excuses, but at the same time, he preferred to spend time with Inoyami and Shikajin rather than with a bunch of his granduncles and grandaunts that he could say that he knew only as distant phantoms that he had only spoke with them when it was necessary. His mind went for an instant to the matter that they would have to discuss this night, the situation with Himawari and what was about to happen to her, his own view soured for a brief instance before blinking it away and looking at both of his friends, wondering whether or not they found themselves into a similar situation. "After that, I don't have much else going on. I have a few days off before a mission, so perhaps stock up in gear and spend sometime with Miho before I leave." It was going to be as simple as that, he supposed. Nothing out of the ordinary except of course what ANBU considered ordinary.

-tag- @inoyami Nara Shikajin -words- 434 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Deleted]

the less I see the sun the brighter I'll become

Shikajin's choice wasn't shocking. Inoyami glanced at him with an approving smile. She noted he seemed happy with his selection, too. Even if he wasn't nearly as excited as she was. But who wouldn't be thrilled about cake??

Plans for the rest of the day... That was sort of obvious for Ino. Kazuto's response was somewhat routine. A clan meeting, preparing his inventory for an assignment. Mundane but proper, proper in the way that she would have expected from him. Not that he didn't make time for himself--or for Miho--but it was always a question of how much time. And the more responsibilities you had to other people, the less time you got for yourself. How good was he at balancing the two?

"Your elders make mine seem pretty tame, Kazuto. The Yamanaka authorities don't bother me too much. Very few meetings. Sure do like sending me on errands, though." What the blonde didn't know was that her comfort and laid-back agenda was the work of her brother. The ex-ANBU was very much an umbrella to the responsibilities and tasks that were thrown down upon his sister. Her training would have been much more aggressive without his hand staying the elders' enthusiasm.

"As for me," she said, finally addressing Shikajin's question, "I'm going to spend the evening with 'Yori. We're supposed to go for a walk tonight. And he mentioned karaoke, but I'm dreading which song to do. I can never decide..." There was just so many good ones, and so very few she felt were within her vocal range. It was always a battle trying to settle on something.

"What about you, Shikajin?" she asked.

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[Nara Shikajin]

the worst case scenario is you

Clan duties were the name of the game for the Senju, hardly surprising for the man who was leading them. Whether it was an official get together or not Shikajin surmised that his friend would have to attend them regardless. While the Nara was no stranger to the oft sluggish nature of clan meetings he did not have the weight of leadership placed upon his shoulders... yet. As the years passed and assuming the chunin was lucky enough to keep himself alive eventually he would have to pick up more responsibility to ensure that the Nara maintained their standing within the village. Of course, he had no plans of actually leading his clan mates, nor did the powers at be probably want him leading given his uncommon disposition; but the time not spent being groomed for leadership left plenty for developing new techniques and improving his skills as a shinobi.

At least Kazuto didn't seem to be in a huge rush to get there, using this meal as a quasi clan strengthening experience. Clever. Besides, his elders surely wouldn't be daft enough to hound their leader mere days before a mission, or perhaps that was an excellent opportunity to remind him of the importance of performing well. Inoyami shared the pain, to a lesser extent, of having to deal with clan elders and the throes of leadership. None of it seemed enjoyable in the least. Speaking of the Yamanaka, her answer was none too surprising in that she'd be spending time with her brother, no doubt recanting the events of her day to him while eating strawberry cake. A brow would raise at the mention of karaoke, he didn't know 'Yori to be a singer... or Inoyami much of one, either. "I can only imagine the two of you singing together..." Shikajin's bod almost involuntarily shuddered at the thought. "... I'm sure it's an experience." Poking fun was all, he was sure the siblings voices were angelic... or ear shattering, it was really a toss up.

Inevitably the question would be turned to him and honestly... Shikajin had little clue what the rest of his day was going to consist of. He could say a nap but the three of them knew that was rarely an option for the Nara. He didn't have a clan meeting or any missions to prepare for, no significant other to meet. Just him and his thoughts. "I think I'll go make sure all is well in the forest with the deer. Might as well try and be somewhat productive." The chunin replied still coming to terms with his own plan. While he did take that responsibility serious Shikajin would have been lying if he said he didn't sometimes use the opportunity to just get away from everything for a bit.

@one @two @three | ### | whoop whoop

KRATOS

[Senju Kazuto]

"Karaoke?" Kazuto asked as he raised an eyebrow. He had to imagine the idea of the two Yamanaka siblings singing together, either in a way like angels or being so bad enough to crack glass. Although he himself really didn't have a singing voice that was on the level of the more chirpy timbre that very likely ruled the voice of the blonde whilst she sang. The Nara's plan however seemed to be the more logical, after all, the connection of his clan to deer was well known, although he wandered if he was just there to tend an specific herd or if he was also there harvest materials from a deer. "Are you tending an specific herd or harvesting bits of horns and hoofs?" He continued asking before imagining how the process would take place. It was well known that the deer tended and herded by the Nara were in turn used for medicinal purposes when it came to their horns and even more. The remedies that these provided well good enough to make a grown shinobi regain enough strength to continue before medical treatment was sought, or was good to treat more ailments that could otherwise not be cured by traditional means. "I'm just curious on how that process works." As he finished a waitress approached with the deserts. The colorful sliced of strawberry shortcake for the Yamanaka that looked as if they had enough sugar to keep him awake for days, the mochi and ice cream for the Nara that surely was just sweet enough without making it unpalatable and the dango that he had ordered, dipped sauce. He would take one of the skewers and began ate the first dumbling, nodding for himself as the taste as the sauce was found in perfect balance, not too sweet, not too sour either. It was as it should have been indeed. "Are your desserts any good?"

-tag- @inoyami Nara Shikajin -words- 330 -notes- --- -music- ---

MADE BY VEL OF GS

[Deleted]

the less I see the sun the brighter I'll become

Just how did her loyal teammate not have more faith in her singing? An experience? That made it sound like torture. "We sound great together," she assured, sounding only a little bit insulted. Blue eyes zipped sharply over to Kazuto as well in case he, too, had doubts. "Though I'll admit there are still a few songs I struggle with." Mostly the lower tones. Her voice was naturally higher and she didn't have the same range that 'Yori did.

Shikajin's decision to spend some time with his forest friends got a smile out of the blonde. "That sounds nice." She well appreciated any time devoted to wildlife. Having spent a lot of time in the woods with the squirrels and other animals, she understood the peace of mind it tended to bring, too.

Eventually one of the servers made it over with their orders. Her two slices of cake were packed separately just as she'd asked. She opened one of them--her piece, and eyed it for much too long to be able to close it again without taking juuuuust a tiny bite. She could save the rest for home.

The taste test lit up her face. "Sooooo good," she praised happily, and quickly shut the box. She even pushed the container forward a few inches, trying to force herself to not eat the rest of it. She just had to save it for when she shared the other one with Inoyori. He wouldn't have cared about eating it alone. But she would. They'd all be parting ways, soon, anyhow, and she could wait. Patience was a virtue!

No notes~! ❤ HEX:#28a805 ❤ Senju Kazuto , Nara Shikajin

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[Nara Shikajin]

the worst case scenario is you

Kazuto would inquire into just what Shikajin would be doing with the deer, and to be quite honest he wasn't sure. Mostly just hanging out and just feeding them, a somewhat lazy yet still slightly productive outing. Of course, also making checks to ensure that they seemed healthy and weren't coming down with any diseases and the such and while the chunin was technically a doctor for people he knew just enough about deer and bodies in general to spot an ailment or two. "A little bit of everything, I suppose. We try not to be too invasive during the colder months but since the males lose their antlers during the winter it's an opportune time to collect those." He'd reply giving the two a bit of insight into the practices of the Nara. What the clan did with said antlers and other samples was still technically a secret, or rather, how they prepared them for use in medicines and what not.

"As for tending to a specific herd... I guess I'm more familiar with a select few than others, but since the clan is responsible for the entire forest there's a lot of cross help." He would add as the waitress showed up with the trio's desserts. They looked better than he could have imagined, and while Inoyami struggled with holding back the Nara would subscribe to no such way of life. Two spoonfuls of the ice cream were eaten within moments of each other.

"I'm sure the two of you singing is just... fine. Standing ovations from the entire Yamanaka clan." Shikajin would reply feeling that Inoyami saw through his earlier comment for the subtle shot that it was and deciding to throw a wee bit of kerosene on that open flame. Perhaps the two of them were great singers, he doubted it, but anything was possible.

@one @two @three | ### | whoop whoop

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